MSC Adds Weekly Shipping Service From Tianjin to South Africa

On 18 April 2026, the Port of Tianjin officially opened a new weekly shipping service to the Ports of Durban and Ngqura (Port Elizabeth) in South Africa. The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) — the largest maritime carrier by fleet size and with a carrying capacity of nearly 7 million TEU — is operating this route as an extension of its Ingwe Service and it plans to place a dozen of its ships on that roster. The transit time is expected to be around 40 days, taking into account some stopovers along the way.

Taking advantage of its position next to the capital Beijing, Tianjin serves as the gateway to the Tianjin-Beijing-Hebei Greater Area. Being located in Northern China, it is theoretically possible for a ship from Tianjin to pick up goods along the Chinese coast while moving southwards. Initially, the container ships deployed will be mostly medium-sized with a carrying capacity between 5,000 and 12,000 TEU.

This is the first shipping route from Tianjin to Africa. The operationalization of the route takes place as the zero-tariff policy for African countries is becoming effective as of the 1st of May, 2026. Moreover, based on the current trend, the China-Africa trade volume displayed a record 18% growth year-on-year and is expected to reach USD 400 billion for 2026.

In 2025, the throughput of Tianjin Port was estimated at 25 million TEU, making Tianjin the 6th largest port in China and the 9th busiest globally. As part of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (#FYP15), the Tianjin Port plans to expand its capacity to 35 million TEU by 2035.